Department For Education

The Secretary of State for Education has directed that Olakunle May Emiola Oluwadare is prohibited from managing an independent school, including an academy or free school, under section 128 of the Education and Skills Act 2008. The decision also disqualifies him from serving as a governor at a local-authority-maintained school. He has three months from the date of the decision letter to appeal to the First-tier Tribunal.

The Department for Education outlines how in-year growth funding will be calculated and awarded for 16 to 19 education in England during the 2026 to 2027 academic year, including provision for learners up to age 24 with high needs. The policy will use early data returns from institutions, with R04 student figures adjusted to a 1 November reference date. Calculators are provided for colleges, schools and academies, special post-16 institutions, and centrally funded exceptions.

The Department for Education has published provisional T Level outcomes for the 2025–2026 academic year in England. The release covers the fifth cohort of students, who began their courses in September 2024, and includes revised outcomes for the fourth cohort, which began in September 2023. T Levels are two-year technical qualifications equivalent in size to three A levels and are intended to support progression into skilled employment, apprenticeships, further education or university.

The Department for Education’s longitudinal education outcomes analysis examines how young people in England progress through education and into employment after age 16. It compares attainment, employment, and periods spent not in education, employment or training among disadvantaged learners, particularly those eligible for free school meals and those with special educational needs. The study provides a longer-term perspective than existing participation and destination statistics and is accompanied by a report and data tables.

The Department for Education publishes official statistics on pupil absence in England’s state-funded primary, secondary, special and alternative-provision schools for the autumn term of the 2025–2026 academic year. The release covers overall, authorised and unauthorised absence; reasons for absence; pupil characteristics; persistent and severe absence; and data from the school census.

Parents and carers can apply for Music and Dance Scheme funding to support a child or young person attending a specialist school or Centre for Advanced Training in England. Applicants must already be registered with a provider or have been allocated a place, complete the application in one session, and provide information about personal details, UK residency, previous funding, other financial support and both parents’ or guardians’ income. Supporting evidence, including income, benefits and UK address documentation, must be submitted to the provider; grants will not be awarded without acceptable evidence for all relevant parents.

The government seeks views on proposed reforms to support children and young people whose education, health and care plans specify education outside school or college. The consultation covers improving early support, raising the quality and oversight of EOTAS provision, clarifying accountability, and ensuring children remain connected to educational settings when possible. It also explores support for children unable to attend school for health reasons and the safe use of accredited online education providers. Current arrangements would continue until at least 2030, with tailored transition options for affected children. The consultation remains open to families, schools and local authorities until September 2026.

Emphasizes education as a source of freedom and opportunity, arguing that early years provision, universal childcare and strong community support are essential to reducing inequality and preparing children for a changing world. Highlights persistent educational gaps, the need for inclusive early intervention, and the importance of parity between academic and technical routes. Presents government initiatives expanding childcare, family hubs, SEND reform, free school meals and poverty reduction, framing them as foundations for comprehensive education from birth to adulthood and a more empowered, equitable society.

Employer contribution rates to the Teachers’ Pension Scheme will drop from 28.6% to 17.6% from April 2027, leading to reduced funding for schools and other eligible education settings. The guidance outlines how deductions will be applied across mainstream schools, special and alternative provision, early years providers and local authorities. A calculator is provided to help mainstream academies estimate adjustments to their general annual grant ahead of final deductions. Information for post‑16 institutions is available through related funding guidance.

The government is expanding measures to reduce school-related costs for families, including adding 1,400 more free breakfast clubs, enforcing caps on branded uniforms, and increasing access to free school meals for households on Universal Credit. These changes could save families up to £1,000 annually. Additional initiatives include the Great British Summer Saving scheme, cost‑of‑living support, and a consultation to improve early years funding. The rollout of Best Start Family Hubs continues, supported by the launch of a new improvement coalition aimed at enhancing services for families.

The Enter Learning Data (ELD) service helps further education providers in England create and manage Individualised Learner Record files when they do not have their own data management system. The free, optional web-based service replaces the Learner Entry Tool, supports unlimited learner records and multiple users within an organisation, and provides real-time validation, guided workflows, self-service guidance and secure Department for Education data storage. Users are directed to a known-issues log and customer help portal for support.

The Department for Education presents findings from rapid evidence reviews on identifying and supporting children and young people aged 0 to 25 with special educational needs and disabilities in mainstream and early years settings in England. The reviews cover cognition and learning, sensory and physical needs, social, emotional and mental health, stammering and speech and language, communication needs, and autism. They examine effective identification methods, support strategies, and collaborative practices intended to improve attainment, behaviour, and social communication outcomes.

The Department for Education explains the supporting evidence colleges must provide when seeking approval for transactions beyond their delegated authority. The guidance applies in England to further education corporations, sixth-form college corporations and designated institutions, but not academy trusts, and directs colleges to use the FE transaction approval request process.

Colleges in England must obtain Department for Education approval before undertaking transactions beyond their delegated authority, including guarantees, indemnities, write-offs, novel or contentious transactions, special payments and certain fixed-asset disposals. Requests must be submitted using the FE transaction approval request form by someone authorised by the college’s accounting officer, with supporting evidence where required. Retrospective applications are allowed but face additional scrutiny, and proceeding without approval may constitute irregular use of public money. Colleges may proceed only after receiving written proof of approval; the process can take several weeks and may involve HM Treasury or the Charity Commission.

ILR FileMerge is free software that helps education providers combine multiple Individualised Learner Record files into one file for upload to the Funding Information Service or Submit Learner Data. GOV.UK provides user guides and known-issues documents for recent academic years and notes that the Education and Skills Funding Agency closed on 31 March 2025, with its activities transferred to the Department for Education.